Matt Sweeney

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For other people named Matt Sweeney, see Matt Sweeney (disambiguation).
Matt Sweeney
Twin-Tone
  • Drag City

    • Matt Sweeney (born July 2, 1969) is an American musician and record producer best known as a guitarist of Skunk, Chavez, and supergroup Zwan.[1]

    Early life and education

    Sweeney was born in New Jersey. His father was John D. Sweeney, a professor of Medieval English at Seton Hall University who was also an avid musician.[2][3] His mother, Katharine Sweeney Hayden, is a federal judge.[4] Sweeney's parents divorced after 20 years of marriage.[5] He has an older brother, Gregory Sweeney, who is a musician who works on the TV show Kitchen Nightmares.[2][4]

    He grew up in Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey. He attended Northwestern University before dropping out.[4]

    Career

    Sweeney's high school band

    Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
    as a guitarist.

    Sweeney's work has taken him across a variety of musical genres. Starting in 2000 he turned up on

    Southern Lord records). Sweeney recorded and toured with Zwan from late 2001–2003. He is credited as providing guitar, vocal, and some songwriting on Zwan's album Mary Star of the Sea
    .

    After Zwan's breakup, Sweeney played guitar with Bonnie "Prince" Billy for several tours in 2004. January 2005 saw the release of their collaboration

    Close Calls With Brick Walls
    album.

    In 2007 Sweeney again collaborated with

    Mars Volta, on El-P's 2007 album, I'll Sleep When You're Dead
    .

    In early 2009 Sweeney formed The Brill Sisters with Andrew W.K. and producer Don Fleming. They played their first show (without Fleming) at Santos Party House on April 2, 2009.[9][10] The entire group performed on April 21.[11]

    In 2016, Sweeney toured with Iggy Pop, Josh Homme as well as Matt Helders to support their album Post Pop Depression.[12]

    Production work

    Sweeney produced

    Fat Possum
    records. In late 2007, along with Bonnie 'Prince" Billy, Sweeney produced Baby Dee's debut album for Drag City Records, Safe Inside the Day. The album was released in January 2008.

    Sweeney is credited for "wry guitar licks" on an album for NYC heavy blues rockers Endless Boogie, called "Focus Level." It is rumored he produced the album as well. He also turned up on the Six Organs of Admittance's LP Shelter from the Ash. In addition, Sweeney has songwriting credit on certain pressings of Cat Power's Jukebox album, for "Song to Bobby." He is also credited as an additional guitarist on that album.

    Session work

    In tune with his many collaborations, an unlikely combination of Sweeney and Neil Diamond was proposed by seminal producer Rick Rubin in 2008 to follow up Diamond's Rubin-produced 2005 album 12 Songs.[13] The 2008 album Home Before Dark, released on May 12, features Sweeney on all songs.

    Sweeney also plays guitar on Kid Rock's 2010 album Born Free.

    Discography

    Skunk

    • Last American Virgin (1989)
      Twin/Tone
    • Laid (1990)
      Twin/Tone

    Chavez

    • Gone Glimmering (1995) Matador
    • Ride The Fader (1996) Matador
    • Better Days Will Haunt You best-of compilation CD/DVD (2006) Matador
    • Repeat the Ending EP (1994) Matador
    • Pentagram Ring EP (1995) Matador
    • What's Up Matador? feat. "Theme from 'For Russ'" (1995) Matador
    • School House Rock feat. "Little Twelve Toes" (1996) Atlantic Records
    • Boys Making Music, Music Making Men Documentary VHS (1996) Matador
    • Cockfighters EP (2017) Matador

    Zwan

    Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

    Producing

    Other collaborations

    References

    1. Village Voice
      . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    2. ^ a b Esteban, Gabriel (September 10, 2014). "Death of Professor John D. Sweeney". Seton Hall University. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    3. ^ "Prof. John D. Sweeney". The Holle Family. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    4. ^ a b c Maron, Marc (September 14, 2015). "Episode 637 – Matt Sweeney". WTF with Marc Maron. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    5. ^ Hoffman, Jan (October 15, 1995). "Judge Hayden's Family Values". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    6. Pitchfork Media
      . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    7. Gentleman's Quarterly
      . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    8. ^ Aquarium Drunkard (June 7, 2011). "Matt Sweeney :: The AD Interview". Aquarium Drunkard. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    9. ^ "The Brill Sisters (Minus One) – The Grey Funnel Line". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
    10. ^ "The Brill Sisters (Minus One) – Spontaneous Boogie". YouTube. April 4, 2009. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
    11. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
    12. ^ "Iggy Pop and Josh Homme Team Up for Secret Album". The New York Times. January 24, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
    13. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (May 13, 2008). "Matt Sweeney Makes Unlikely Neil Diamond Sideman". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
    14. ^ "Forgive the City".
    15. Interview Magazine
      . Retrieved September 14, 2015.

    External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matt Sweeney.
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